Occasionally, people pass away at home.

When that happens Castle's first priority is to give their next of kin the time and support they need to put their loved one's affairs in order. Survivors do still owe us the rent, but we realize that they have many more pressing concerns. Most families pay within a week, and we've never had to evict someone.

When it's time to show the apartment to prospective tenants, we naturally comply with California law regarding death disclosure.

Castle is proud to honor the worth and dignity of everyone we do business with — especially during tough times.

Recently, Castle began managing apartments near a community college. It's our first experience renting to primarily college-age residents, and it's taught us some things.

First, we put all roommates on the same lease, and insist that each has their own guarantor. This makes everyone jointly and separately responsible. We also collect a bigger deposit than usual — being close to school is worth an extra $50-$100 per bed.

Since the market is ready, we limit terms to the two years students are at school. And because residents are young — and often from other countries — we screen extra thoroughly, and make sure rules are clear.

We understand that a student's life can be transient too, so there occasionally may be people staying in the apartment who we don't know. Our property managers and maintenance staff learn names and faces so they can greet unexpected arrivals and ensure they come to the office and get properly vetted.

The methods might be slightly different, but the result is the same one we strive for every day: protecting our owners' assets and helping residents make safe, convenient, comfortable homes.